Malaysia kicks off conversations on cultivated meat
KUALA LUMPUR: While Singapore is the first and to date the only country in the world that has approved the production and consumption of cultivated meat, the industry is growing and expanding to other countries in the region. On 15 and 16 March, the first Malaysia Cultivated Meat Conference was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. Organized by Cell AgriTech, the summit gathered (inter)national government bodies, companies, financial institutions, academics and NGO's to explore cultivated meat topics and opportunities in Malaysia.
The conference was opened by Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation YB Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, who pointed out that cultivated meat is an emerging solution for sustainable sourcing of meat which would revolutionize Malaysia’s food industry. “The development of cultivated meat technology in Malaysia promises to create job opportunities and revenue while addressing national challenges such as food security, health management, and climate change,” Kurup stated.
The conference offered a stage for a wide range of industry players. The route to halal certification of cultivated meat was discussed in detail, as well as regulations around the world, food safety assessment, standardization, R&D and skill development.
A milestone was the announcement of a first-of-its-kind production facility by Cell Agritech which is to be expected to be in production by spring 2025 in Penang. The announcement was followed by a MOU signing ceremony with Singapore-based Umami Meat, who have recently established their European entity in Delft, the Netherlands. Together, Cell Agritech and Umami will focus on cultivated seafood production, starting with tuna and eel – species which are both endangered mainly due to high demand.
As the protein shift is one of the pillars of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Top Sector, the Netherlands was represented at the event by the LAN agriculture advisors from Malaysia and Singapore. For any questions on cultivated meat production in Southeast Asia, please reach out to our Agricultural Advisor at emilie.rostvantonningen@minbuza.nl or sin-lnv@minbuza.nl.